Pyramid Question

[Eric M]

Since the fishing locally is somewhat limited right now I'm heading to Pyramid in the next few weeks. I have a ladder and a stripping basket. Do you really need both? Or is just the ladder good enough. Are you very limited to certain beaches without either one? Using 7wt with T-11 head.

[1flyfisher]

Standing on A ladder gets you out of 44 degree water, you are standing on the ladder instead of waist deep in cold water. If you are up a little higher maybe a little added distance to your cast which never hurts on a lake. You can wade out as far as you can with the water coming up to the top of your waders, put the ladder down and then climb up the ladder. So it gets you a little further out in that sense. Other than that you don't need a ladder. It's a lake. I know plenty of folks that just walk/wade pyramid just like any other lake and cover water instead of sitting in one place for hours flailing away on a ladder. They catch more fish and bigger fish doing that then the folks standing in one place on a ladder.

Plenty of folks also tube/pontoon/kayak/boat. Exercise extreme caution if you boat/tube. watch the weather. wind can go from zero to 50+ in seconds, i've seen it do just that many times.

You are not limited to any beach with or without a ladder/stripping basket, BUT it would suit you to use a ladder if you want to squeeze into the cluster %@%$ lineup crowd @ the nets.

Stripping baskets,,,, Some People standing on ladders use them, some people don't. Personal preference.

SInce you already have both bring them

we just got a bit of a storm and another coming later today, temps are going to drop quite a bit in the next few days.
I was out the other day and banged a 9 and an 11 (released both). caught them via kayak in deeper water out of casting range from shore on the next ledge 20+. Bigger fish are deeper now.

good luck

[JD]

Neither, actually. You can do just fine without a ladder.

You might find that T-11 gets down a little too quick, unless you are fishing the serious drop offs, but it'll work if you have nothing else.

Good luck.

[1flyfisher]

also....we just recovered the body of a 20 year old man on monday @ pyramid....

don't be a dummy if you tube/pontoon/kayak/canoe/boat out there WEAR a life jacket. You fall in that cold water you are done fast. Your float tube pontoon isn't a life jacket. When you are up to your chin in icy water, panicking and kicking and thrashing your arms and legs trying desperately to get back to shore against 30-50+ mph gusts that wader belt isn't going to keep the water out.

peace

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Years ago we never saw anyone in a personal flotation craft.

If the wind comes up you could be blown all the way across to the other side.

Years ago we just waded but I think the ladder and stripping basket is a good idea.

I saw that someone put wood slats on the bottom of their ladder so it would not sink into the sandy bottoms.

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Ladders and stripping baskets are very useful for Pyramid.Like others have said a ladder helps get you out of the cold water and also helps keep your backcast off the water.I fish t-11 with great success and you want it to get down fast.As far as the big fish being in the deeper water I have to disagree with this statement.Over the past three weeks friends have landed a number of fish to 12lbls from shore.

Like others have said,be careful if you choose to fish from a floating device.Pick your day wisely and wear a pfd.

Fish any color bugger as long as it is black!

Jay

[1flyfisher]

I'm not saying some big fish won't be caught from shore a few will from time to time this time of year dec/jan but most of the fish large and small are deeper in deeper water this time of year on the tui chub schools and if you want to catch more fish you need to get out off the 20+ ledge.
I am consistently marking fish 20-40 deep, down to 80. Few fish 20 feet and less. This time of year the fish work up to and around the 20 foot ledge pushing tui chubs. They come up to the ledge but not many come over it and stay over it for long. As we all know...Rule #1 of fishing...get your lure/bait fly in front of the fish otherwise you're wasting your time beating dead water. There just aren't that many fish in the shallow from shore right now so I go where the fish are.

A long long time ago I met an old guy (since moved away) that would fish around the lake from a pontoon with an electric trolling motor and would for the most part bounce small black jigs (ie, heavily weighted #10 beadhead woolybuggers) slowly off the bottom dec/jan off the ledge 20-30 feet deep lc-13/floating running line and this guy regularly caught more big fish than anyone out there,,, more than anyone I have ever met since. When I first met him he told me he caught well over a dozen 10lb+ fish in the winter dec/jan each year for the past many years. I was skeptical till i watched him one day bang a hog and then another one out deep while I was fishing from shore. Needless to say that sold me and I began to listen and over time learned a lot from this guy. I fished with him for 3 years till he moved. It pays to think outside the box and i quickly adjusted my flyfishing techniques to try and emulate what he was doing deep for the shallows. It has worked for me....so far this winter I have 3 over 10+ and a quite a few 8-9 lbers.

good luck
happy fishing


As far as the big fish being in the deeper water I have to disagree with this statement.Over the past three weeks friends have landed a number of fish to 12lbls from shore.



Jay

[1flyfisher]

You absolutely can. Spring is especially dangerous as we get wind storms that come up quickly out of nowhere. It can go from 0-50+ gusts in the blink of an eye. I was fishing last spring one day and there was not one drop of wind all day. A guy was in a canoe fishing real close to shore in the closed water of the so nets. He had a big black dog in the canoe. A slight breeze came up about an hour from dark out of the north and in 30 seconds switched around to the west gusting over 50. I thought he was a goner it was ugly. but he got lucky. VERY LUCKY.


good luck
happy fishing




If the wind comes up you could be blown all the way across to the other side.

[Specc]

Definitly bring your ladder. Better to have it and not use it, than need it and not have it. You can fish off the ladder, and if you get board, find a beach with a close drop off and walk along and fish. As far as the stripping basket...its personal preference, I personally rarely use one. It kind of depends on the type of line, wind/wave intensity, and how much you feel like fighting it...if you're fishing a floating running line on a calmer day, you'll be fine without one. Wind and waves tend to blow your line around, making line management a little tough, but that's Pryamid.....

[catch&release]

A stripping basket is very much needed when the wind is blowing straight into and the line of course is trying to get wraped around every little nook and crany it can possibley get into. Bring Your Basket!

[flyfishag]

From reading a few articles and books, is shooting head best way to go?

Anyone used the SA Express Streamer 30' head?

Thanks for the input.

[jayclarkflyfishing]

A shooting head is very helpful, but not absolutely necessary.I have used the Streamer Express in the past and really liked it.Definitely need a stripping basket with that line as it is difficult to get the intermediate running line out of the water while casting.

Jay

[neonymph]

Do you see any spey or switch rod action?

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Every once in a while I see spey/switch rods out there frothing the water.Could be a useful tool, but when the line up is tight spey casting is more of a hindrance than helpful.With that said there are plenty of empty beaches that a spey guy can froth away and not piss anyone off.

Jay